For decades, virtual reality has been both a tech buzzword and the stuff of science fiction. But nowadays, it’s something you can actually buy and experience for yourself thanks to products like Samsung 's005930.SE +0.22% Gear VR headset. Virtual reality isn’t mainstream just yet, but Gear VR is a significant step in taking VR to the masses. It’s also one of the best virtual reality headsets I’ve used, so far.
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The best thing about it is also its biggest setback. Gear VR uses a smartphone for its display and processing power—which means you don’t have to invest in a PC or videogame console to play games or watch videos. But it only works with one model: Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4.
The experience itself is awesome. Once you put it on, your field of view is consumed by virtual menus that direct you to different apps and games. You control what you see based on where you point your head, and a touch panel on the right side of the device. Floating deep in the ocean is thrilling, especially when you turn your head and suddenly see with sharks swimming by. It’s more immersive than anything you can do with a couch and TV, though having to rely on a set of headphones for decent audio is distracting.
The headset itself is lightweight and comfortable, though it left me feeling motion sick after about 20 minutes of wear. This is an issue that plagues every VR headset on the market right now.
The experience itself is awesome. Once you put it on, your field of view is consumed by virtual menus that direct you to different apps and games. You control what you see based on where you point your head, and a touch panel on the right side of the device. Floating deep in the ocean is thrilling, especially when you turn your head and suddenly see with sharks swimming by. It’s more immersive than anything you can do with a couch and TV, though having to rely on a set of headphones for decent audio is distracting.
The headset itself is lightweight and comfortable, though it left me feeling motion sick after about 20 minutes of wear. This is an issue that plagues every VR headset on the market right now.
There also isn’t much content to check out yet for Gear VR. You can watch Coldplay and Paul McCartney perform individual songs while you stand there, as if you were in the front row. You can play a handful of short, simplistic games reminiscent of what you’d play on a smartphone. You can watch a few movie trailers and a few 360-degree videos in Samsung’s Milk VR video app. And there are virtual deep sea dives and space excursions. But this isn’t a deep library—you can do all of this in the course of an hour or two.
Hopefully, the amount of stuff you can do with a VR headset will change over time, but there are no guarantees. As wowing as Gear VR is, I wouldn’t recommend you ditch your current phone for a Note 4 and this headset. If you’re an early adopter, if you’re intrigued by virtual reality and if you already own a Note 4, then Gear VR is worth the $200. Otherwise, just wait. More headsets will arrive this year and next with better displays, more content and wider device compatibility.
Hopefully, the amount of stuff you can do with a VR headset will change over time, but there are no guarantees. As wowing as Gear VR is, I wouldn’t recommend you ditch your current phone for a Note 4 and this headset. If you’re an early adopter, if you’re intrigued by virtual reality and if you already own a Note 4, then Gear VR is worth the $200. Otherwise, just wait. More headsets will arrive this year and next with better displays, more content and wider device compatibility.
